Fire extinguishing system



Nov. 3, 1931. A. J. LOEPSINGER ,8

FIRE EXTINGUISHING SYSTEM Filed Dec 15. 1928 l H I! I 50 I A I:

II 4 4: 38 I I'I INVENTOR Awit ATTO R N EY :1 the supply pressure.

Patented Nov. 3, 1931 unirso stares rarer- FFICE ALBERT J. LOEP SINGER, F PROVIDENGE, RHODE ISLAND, ASSIGNOR TO GENERAL FIRE EXTINGUISHER COMPANY, OF PROVIDENCE, RHODE ISLAND, A CORPORATION OF DELAWARE FIRE nxrmeursnme SYSTEM Application filed December 13, 1928. Serial No. 325,798.

This invention relates to improvementsin fire extinguishing systems. More especially it has to do with dry pipe systems and means for effecting discharge of fire extinguishing A fluid therefrom promptly after the opening of an automatic sprinkler head.

In the customary type of dry pipe system the distributing pipes are filled with an under pressure which, acting through a dry 19 pipe valve, holds back the water supply us ually standing ready at a higher pressure. Upon the opening of a head the air in the distributing pipes must ordinarily escape until its pressure reaches the trip point of the valve. While this point is dependent to some extent upon the operative characteristics of the valve, it is the usual practice to have the valve open when the intensity of air pressure is approximatelyone-sixth the intensity of Obviously when the system is quiescent the air pressure normally carried is several times greater than its pressure the trip point and it is not unusual to find the air pressure considerably 2: higher than this where the attendant in charge is over-cautious in guarding against premature valve opening or leaks from the system.

During the time the air pressure is falla ing to the trip point no extinguishing discharge from the open sprinkler can occur because the extinguishing medium is not permitted to flow into the distribution system until after the dry pipe valve is tripped.

3;. Moreover, when the anticipated reduction of air pressure. is accomplished,the extinguishing discharge may be further delayed due to inadequate supply pressure at the moment caused by i a simultaneous drain from the in supply attending the opening of adjacent dry pipe systems or the attaching of fire department apparatus in the neighborhood.

And even after the opening of the dry pipe valve due to the static head of the supply,

43 there may be a failure or cessation of sprining of the main supply and in which the said fluid is caused to flow toward the open head upon the establishment of a relatively slight differential of pressure which occurs almost immediately upon the escape of pres sure through an open head. Furthermore it is a feature or" the invention that the flow or" this preliminary, as itwere, extinguishing fluid brings about the application of a force tending to effect the opening of the main supply. All of this take place regardless of the actual pressure conditions in the distributing systemor in the supply and consequently there is no delay until a certain predetermined relation of these pressures is established.

It is also an object of'the invention to'p rovide a system which is'so simple and so reliable in operation .that the insuranceauthorities having jurisdiction'will not limit the deemed safe where any of the approved types of dry pipe valves are employed. In short it is intended that a single system constructed in accordance with the invention may be used to protect a risk which now must be served by a number of individual dry pipe systems, thereby insuring a marked saving due to the elimination of many dry pipe valves, their respective risers and the large amount of labor employed in their installation. Also the maintenance expense of the improved system will be materially less and its oversight reduced to a minimum.

In the particular embodiment of the invention shown herein for illustrative purposes,

the distributing system is normally dry and under a pressure which may be high or low as desired. This systemis connected to a supply pipe through a reservoir container holding an appreciable quantity of fireextinguishing liquid which is preferably under system pressure and which transmits this pressure to a differential check valve in the supply pipe thus holding the latter closed. Between the distributing system and the reservoir container are two operative fluid connections, one extending below the liquid and constituting the discharge passage therefor and the other connection being of a re strictive nature and leading to the container above the liquid level therein. This latter connection permits of the slow transfer of the pressure from the distribution system to the reservoir and vice versa', but prevents any rapid escape of the pressure in the reservoir to the system such as woul'dt'end to follow the openingof a head. Then this latter occurs, the pressure in the reservoir is retained and forces the liquid therein upward through the aforesaid discharge passage into the distributing pipes. Preferably, and as shown, this passage is normally closed by a valve which is opened by the flow and thereby opens a by-passage connection to the intermediate chamber of the check valve closing the supply pipe, but other devices such as a diaphragm or float might be actuated by the flow to bring about the application of an opening force on this valve. In any event, the flow of liquid from the reservoir detroys the differential of the supply valve enabling it to be opened at once if the supply pressure exceeds the pressure in the reservoir or to be opened whenever these pressures become substantially equal. But during the time in which this latter condition is being reached actual discharge of fire extinguishing liquid is taking place and by properly proportioning the size of the reser- 5 voir tothe distribution system being served,

takingaccount also of the supply pressure, the sprinkler discharge will continue without interruption because the supply valve will be opened before the level of the liquid in the reservoir falls below its discharge outlet.

It'is intended that the patent shall cover by suitable expression in the appended claims whatever feature of patentable novelty exists in the invention disclosed.

In the accompanying drawings Figure 1 is an elevation, partly in section and somewhat diagrammatic showing a system embodying the invention, and

Figure 2 is a plan of a section throughthe by-passage' valve taken on line 22 of Figure 1, but with the valve closure in open position. ,7

Referring to the drawings, the distribution sys'temto be served is represented by the riser 10, pipes 12 and sprinkler head 14,

from a compressor (not shown).

Connected to the riser 10 is a reservoir 18 to which in turn is connected a supply pipe 20, there being in the latter connection a check valve 22 preferablyfof; the differential type. The reservoir is partly filled with fire extinguishing liquid 2%.whose path of flow therefroni' is through a discharge pipe 26, leading upward from'near the bottom of the reservoir, an'da valve 28 interposed between this discharge pipe and the riser 10.

This valve is illustrative of any suitable device whi'chin'ay be actuated by flow from the reservoir tojopen' a by-passage 30 leading incidentally to a water motor 32 and alarm apparatus 34, and particularly to the interme diate chamber 36 of th'e'supply valve 22.

As here shown the closure 38 of thebypassage valve 28 is of the type used as a water-clapper in my co-pending application, Serial Number 67,527, filed November 7 1925, which matured into Patent 1,699,706 dated Jan. 22, 1929. It first moves upward and then tilts about its horizontal pivot 430 'be 7 coming as it were an inclined vans in the path of the flow, whereuponth'e force of the latter swings the closure about its vertical.

pivot 42 to a position laterally beside its seat where it fallsbel'ow the edge of the seat and is thus prevented'from again clos'ing'.

Within its seat is a very narrow groove 44 having an outlet connected with the by -passage 30. Normally this lay-passage and the intermediate chamber 36 of the supply valve are vented to atmosphere through the customary ball drip valve 46. d

Between the riser 10, beyond the valve 28, and the reservoir 18, above the level of its liquid, is another connection L8 having r'estriction 50 therein which is large enoug'l'l to 2 permit slow transfer of pressure between the reservoir and the riserand yet small enough to prevent rapid escape of. the reservoir pressure such as wouldfteirdto' occur upon the opening of sprinkler head.

l Vhile the system is quiescentfthe system pressure holds both the clapper 38 of the bypassage valve and the clapper .52 of the supply valve 22 on their respective seats. Any ordinary variation ofthis pressure is transmitted through the restriction'50, but in the event of a sprinkler head lflropening, the sudden drop in the system pressure which immediately follows is not transmittedto the reservoir because the restriction 50 is designedly too small to do so. In consequence there is established, almost simultaneously with the opening o'ffthe head, a difierential of pressure between-the distributing system and the reservoir. Since the. entrapped pressure in the latter is greater, the liquid is forced upward through pipe 26, and valve 28, into the distributing pipes 10 and 12 where it rushes to the open head rapidly pushing out the escaping air ahead.

As the clapper 38 is opened by this flow from the reservoir, the liquid enters by-passage 30 and flows at" once to theintermediate chamber 36 of the supply valve automatically closing the vent 46. In consequence there is a force applied to the clapper 52 in opposition to the pressure on its reservoir side tending to keep it closed. In short, its diiferential is destroyed and if the supply pressure at the moment is greater than the reservoir pressure, the clapper will immediately open. If the supply pressure is down, or is normally lower than the system pressure, the clapper 52 will temporarily remain closed until the reservoir pressure substantially equals the supply pressure. It is desirable that this relation be established at least before the level of the liqmd in the reservoir reaches the lower end of plpe 26,

in order that there will be no cessation of effective sprinkler discharge once it has been initiated. This can be assured by provid ing a reservoir of such capacity as to permit its gaseous content to expand sufficiently to bring its pressure below that of the supply before the liquid level reaches the inlet end of the discharge pipe 26. Indeed it is preferable to have a tank of ample size even in cases where the supply valve opens promptly because if the supply pressure should uni expectedly fail the entrapped pressure in the reservoir will close the clapper 52 and continue the discharge of extinguishing liquid from the sprinklers until the main supply is again restored.

Accordingly a system embodying the principles of the present invention not only provides for extinguishing discharge from the sprinklers promptly following their opening and the simultaneous application of a force tending to open the supply valve, but also provides for the continuation of such discharge in case the supply pressure is low or temporarily fails. And withal it does so with apparatus which is simple and reliable in operation, and which can be installed, maintained and supervised with less expense than has heretofore been possible where the usual dry pipe valves are employed.

I claim:

1. A fire extinguishing system having, in

combination, a distributing system under pressure; a supply pipe having aconnection therewith comprising pipe closing means acted upon by the system pressure holding said means closed; a reservoir holding liquid under said system pressure having connection with the distributing system; means adapted upon a sudden drop in said system pressure to cause flow of liquid from the reservoir into said distributing system; and means actuated by said flow for imparting to said supply pipe closing means a force acting n opposition to said system pressure.

2. A fireextinguishing system having, in combination, a distributing system under pressure; a supply pipe having a connection therewith; a valve acted upon by said system pressure to hold said supply pipe closed; a reservoir holding liquid under pressure and being so connected with said distributing system that upon sudden drop of the system pressure the liquid flows from the reservoir into the distribution system; and means actuated by said flow for imparting to said supply whereby the liquid therein is caused to flow into the distributing system; and means actuated by said flow for imparting to the supply pipe closing means a force acting'in opposition to the closing pressure thereon.

4. A fire extinguishing system having, in combination, a distributing system under pressure; a supply pipe; a connection between the two comprising a reservoir holding liquid under said system pressure; pipe closing means acted upon by said pressure for holding the supply pipe closed; means adapted upon a sudden drop in said system pressure to cause flow of liquid from the reservoir into the distributing system; and means actuated by said flow for imparting to said supply closing means a force acting in opposition to said system pressure.

5. A fire extinguishing system having, in combination, a distributing system under pressure; a reservoir partly filled with liquid having connection with said system below the level of said liquid andhaving another connection with said system above the level of liquid; means in said last connection adapted upon sudden drop ofsaid system pressure to restrain escapeof pressure from the reservoir thereby effecting flow of the liquid through the first mentioned connection into the distributing system; a supply pipe connected to said reservoir; pipe closing means acted upon by the pressure in said reservoir holding said supply pipe closed; and means responsive to flow of the liquid into the dispressure having connection with the distributing system from the reservoir for imparting to said supply pipe closingmeans a force actlng 111 opposition to the closing pressure thereon.

6. A fire extinguishing system having, in combination, a distributing system under pressure, a reservoir connected therewith holding liquid under said pressure; a supply pipe connected to said reservoir; a valve acted upon by said pressure closing said supply pipe and having an intermediate chain her; a connection between said system and said chamber normally closed; means adapted upon a sudden drop in the system pressure to cause flow of liquid from the reservoir to the distributing system; and means actuated by said flow for opening the connection to said intermediate chamber Whereby the supplypipe valve is subjected to an opening pressure in addition to the supply pressure.

'7. A fire-extinguishing system comprising,

in combination, a gas-filled distributing system under pressure; a reservoir partly filled with fire extinguishing liquid and having a restricted connection with said system above the level of said liquid; a second connection between said system and said reservoir into said system; means acted upon bysaid system pressure to hold back said supply; and means in the liquid discharge connection between said reservoir and the distributing system actuated by flow therethrough and tributing system; means adapted upon a sudden drop in said system pressure to create a differential of pressure between said reservoir and said distributing system; and means responsive to said difierential for imparting .to said pipe closing: means a force tending to open said pipe closing means.

Signed at Providence,'Rhode Island, this 11th day of December, 1928 ALBERT J. LOEPSINGER.

adapted when so actuated to impart to said supply holding means a force acting against the said system pressure.

8. fire extinguishing system comprising, in combination, a gas-filled distributing system; a reservoir holding a fire extinguishing mediumunder said system pressure and having connection with the distributing system; a supply pipe having connection with said system; a valve in the last said connection acted upon by said system pressure to hold back the supply; and means adapted upon a sudden drop in said system pressure to entrap pressure in said reservoir; and means actuated by the resulting difierential of pressure between said reservoir and said distributing system for imparting to said valve a force tending to open said pipe closing means.

9. A fire extinguishing system having, in combination, a distributing system under pressure; a supply pipe having a connection therewith comprislng pipe closing means acted upon by the system pressure holding said means closed; a reservoir holding fire extinguishing medium under said system 

